Ofsted has put a fair amount of effort into debunking common myths about inspection. Its response to these, set out on gov.uk [1] and reinforced in the inspection handbook [2] , should offer some comfort to schools choosing to adopt teaching for mastery in mathematics. For example, teachers using textbooks as the basis for lesson planning will […]
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Rudyard Kipling’s The Ballad of East and West contains the famous opening line: Oh, East is East and West is West, and never the twain shall meet. I’ve heard this message echoed in a variety of forms over recent years by educators who are wary, and sometimes sceptical, of the value of mathematics teaching methods […]
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In a recent blog post , I talked about the way in which the much-praised Asian education systems are rethinking their ‘grades are everything’ approach to education. It is encouraging to see that they are beginning to realise the importance of a more holistic, child-friendly approach, though I worry that for some years we in the UK […]
Read moreAt Coldfall Primary School, we recently adopted the Inspire Maths programme and teachers are working hard to bring the ‘Singapore’ or ‘mastery’ approach into their lessons. But what does teaching for mastery look like in the Singapore classroom? How do teachers use textbooks and how do they ensure that children are appropriately challenged and supported? […]
Read moreIt’s not just academies and free schools that enjoy curriculum freedom: maintained schools have more flexibility than they think I am often asked at maths education events whether south-east Asian mastery is at odds with statutory curriculum requirements. Head teachers and maths co-ordinators in many schools yet to make the change to mastery state: ‘Our […]
Read moreAs I travel far and wide, training and talking to teachers, common questions occur… How can we improve the mathematical reasoning skills of our pupils and how can we support them as well as gather evidence for it? To address these questions, firstly, we need to understand what mathematical reasoning is and understand why it […]
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Hans Rosling, who passed away earlier this month, made numbers tell significant stories about the world. A self-proclaimed “edutainer” — educator and entertainer — Professor Rosling championed a worldview based on facts. He had a genius for revealing large patterns in human development by making people see the data on population, inequality, and global education and health. He […]
Read more Is the study of mathematics really a gateway toward empathy? I’m not fully convinced by the argument presented by mathematician Roger Antonsen , but I like him for making it. We need all the empathy we can get in our world. Certainly, his mathematical visualizations do demonstrate the importance of mental flexibility and imagination in mathematics, and do stand metaphorically […]
Read moreI was thrilled to see the results of a new University of Oxford impact study today , highlighting and confirming my belief that OUP’s mastery in maths programme Inspire Maths can make a very real positive impact on children’s maths abilities. I have seen first-hand the difference that mastery can make when visiting schools in Singapore . My Pals Are Here! – which Inspire Maths is based […]
Read moreSo often in our work with teachers, we are asked what equipment we would recommend using with children and how we would use it. As a response to these questions we have put together some resources to help teachers develop children’s number sense. This was made possible by funding from the Nuffield Foundation which gave […]
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